IPL: Chahal’s 3/16 helps RCB restrict KKR to low total

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) An excellent spell by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bundle out Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for 131 in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.

Chahal returned figures of 3/16 while the other RCB bowlers also did well to restrict the hosts to the low total.

Tymal Mills -- playing in place of Andre Milne -- scalped 2/31 while Pawan Negi took two wickets conceding just 15 runs in three overs.

Playing in front of a packed stadium, Chahal -- who in February returned best figures by an Indian in Twenty20 cricket with 6/25 against England -- used the flat deck to his advantage, bowling with variations that flummoxed the home team batsmen.

Sunil Narine (34; 17b 6x4 1x6) was the top-scorer for KKR with the off-spinner continuing from where he had left off in the last match, spanking Samuel Badree for three consecutive fours and a six in the first over of the game.

The southpaw, who was catapulted up the order after Chris Lynn got injured, hit Sreenath Aravind for two back-to-back fours to get the crowd, mostly cheering for the away side, going.

At the other end, Gautam Gambhir's (14; 11b 1x4 1x6) stay at the crease was cut short by the returning Mills who caught the in-form left-hander's outside edge for a caught behind which was initially debated, but replays showed clear nick.

Narine's cameo -- his third this season -- ended when the Trinidadian holed out to Chahal at deep square leg.

Narine and Gambhir stitched together a 48-run opening partnership.

Robin Uthappa (11; 9b 2x4 0x6) did not last long, playing across the line to a fuller Badree delivery to be adjudged LBW by umpire C.K. Nandan. The hosts stared down the barrel from then on losing the next three three wickets for 27 runs.

Yusuf Pathan (8), Manish Pandey (15) and Colin de Grandhomme (0) were removed by Chahal as KKR were left reeling at 93/6.

Chris Woakes (18; 21b 3x4 0x6) and Suryakumar Yadav hung around for sometime for a 27-run seventh wicket stand before Mills got rid of Woakes and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2) followed suit without troubling the scorers much.

Suryakumar (15; 19b 1x4 0x6) fell to Pawan Negi while Kuldeep Yadav was taken by Aravind. Umesh Yadav remained not out for 2.

Earlier, rain delayed start of play for half an hour.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders: 131 (Sunil Narine 34; Yuzvendra Chahal 3/16) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore.